by JN Welsh
“Fuck, Luke.” Tommy chuckled in spite of himself. “Did you just whack me?”
Leona giggled.
“What are you doing, man? Ladies fucking first.” Luke served Leona.
“My bad, Leo. I’m about to eat my hand off,” Tommy apologized.
“It’s cool. Eat,” Leo said, reaching for the black coffee-colored sauce and pouring a little on the small dumpling on her plate.
Tommy plucked two dumplings off the plate and stuffed one in his mouth. The savory onion, sautéed pork and Thai spices exploded in his mouth. The first flavors for the hangry tasted divine.
Leona pointed her fork at him as she chewed. She wasn’t about to let up. “You were saying?”
“I’m not whipped,” Tommy repeated once he swallowed the bite. “I like her as a client and think she’s really special.”
“Special, huh?” Luke asked, dipping his steamed dumpling into a small bowl of sauce.
Tommy sipped his drink. The Mekhong rum and orange and chocolate bitters refreshed his palate like the clean start he wished this conversation would take. “You know what I mean.”
“Not really. Help me understand.” Luke was a smart man and Tommy knew his friend liked seeing him squirm under their third degree. Why shouldn’t he? Tommy had grilled Luke countless times about Leona before they got together. Payback time.
“I like her. I think she’s talented and as interesting as she is frustrating and challenging. She has two careers that she’s trying to pursue and she wants to keep them separate. She’s been doing it alone this whole time and it’s wearing her down. She has a vision. I guess I’m trying to help her expand that vision, even if only a little,” Tommy said at last.
“But you like her?” Leona asked, peering up from her menu.
“If you want to know if she’s smart, beautiful, and sexy, the answer is yes, but she’s more than that. Her mind. The way she puts music together and how she functions in two very different musical spaces is fascinating.” Tommy rubbed his lips remembering how much he’d wanted to kiss Nyah last night. How she took his breath away. He did like her, and more than a little. He looked at his friends. The great relationship they had was the envy of anyone who met them. Perhaps that’s why he’d jumped the gun with Izzy.
Leona squealed. “You like her more than a little, especially since you’ve kissed her. You have kissed her, haven’t you?”
“I haven’t kissed her yet.” Tommy stuttered, “I mean, I haven’t kissed her.”
“You said yet, that means you really want to.” Leona wiggled in her chair.
“He really wants to,” Luke added.
“Guys,” Tommy tried to interject, but Leona reached for his hand and held it for a few seconds before she spoke.
“It’s okay to want something special with someone, Tommy. You’re great and she sounds great. I know she’s your client but look at how things turned out with me and Luke.”
Tommy swallowed emotion that hijacked his throat. Leona read him like tea leaves. He stuttered before relaxing into the moment.
“I hoped things with you and Izzy would—” she paused “—be something more. I liked the idea of us double dating and vacationing together and stuff. I wanted you both to be happy. Like us.”
The truth nearly knocked him out of his seat. He did want what Luke and Leona had.
“Jeez, Leo. I wasn’t ready for a therapy session,” Tommy said.
“She’s incredible like that.” Luke massaged her shoulders.
“I want to meet her.” Leona let his hand go and asked, “Can we come see her play?”
He hmmed and hawed. He wanted nothing more than to introduce Luke and Leo to Nyah, but a performance might not be the right time. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Luke brings a lot of attention and...”
“We could have drinks, lunch, or dinner.” Luke checked in with Leona.
“Yeah, like a double date,” Leona said.
Luke cheesed at Tommy from across the table. “Exactly, like a double date.”
Leona almost fell out of her seat. “Yes.”
Tommy rubbed his forehead. “Oh boy. I just signed her, guys. Let that settle before you get ahead of yourselves.”
“But you can’t deny that you’re thinking about kissing her.” Leona couldn’t stop the smile from spreading up to her ears.
Tommy shook his head. “You guys are full-a shit, you know that?”
They placed their dinner order with their waitress.
“Well, the good news about all this is that we’ll be seeing more of you since she’s based here. You’ll be doing a lot of work and traveling with her so it’s only a matter of time before...” Leona made a kissy face.
“Mature.” Tommy groaned. “Yeah. Someone’s gotta keep an eye on you two.”
They chatted some more and enjoyed dinner with laughter and lively banter as friends did. After they finished up at the restaurant, they headed to Luke’s residency at Aurora Nightclub. On their way, Tommy got a text from Oscar.
OZ: Forgot to mention Trinket’s playing her house party 2nite. Come thru.
The address followed.
Nyah and Trinket were friends and she would likely attend. Tommy’s motivation to stop by immediately multiplied.
Boombox: I’ll try
Chapter Ten
Nyah squeezed her way into Trinket’s Harlem apartment through gyrating sweaty bodies. The scent of African musk and burning herb hung heavy in the air. The mosaic cloth and urban artwork by Frank Morrison decorated the walls. The darkness of night and city lights created a classic backdrop behind Trinket. Familiar faces from local Harlem hot spots and Rebel regulars made up the motley guest list that came out to support. As usual, Nyah came through with her heavy makeup and sunglasses. Many greeted her Queen Roe persona and she flashed back to catching reruns of Jem and the Holograms on a pop culture streaming channel. She definitely lived a Jerrica Benton life.
“Whattup, Queen,” Oscar greeted her when she made her way closer to the turntables where Trinket stood. Oscar’s swoon-worthy support of her friend always made Nyah believe in happily-ever-afters. Her parents, too, had their ups and downs, but their loyalty to each other and ability to fall in love again and again was impressive.
“Hey, Oz. Are you ready to hear your girl blow up the spot?” Nyah eyed Trinket, whose eyes were focused on the equipment below her. “How’s she holding up?”
“Hands are still shaking a bit but she’s looking strong.”
“That’s great. She’s doing Popup Sounds in the Park. If that goes well, you should totally put her on the Rebel stage in the coming weekend and keep her there. She can’t lose momentum.”
“No doubt.” Oscar agreed. “I’d hate to see her lose any more opportunities because of her stage fright.”
“Word,” Nyah said. “Are you going to head back to Rebel after this?”
“Nah. Dane’s closing for me tonight.”
“Cool. Hey, let me go talk to her,” Nyah shouted over the music.
“You want anything?” Oscar made a drinking motion. “Tony’s tending bar.”
“Oh, in that case, a Sidecar, please.”
“Something with cognac? What a surprise.” Oscar rolled his eyes.
She put her finger over her mouth and shushed him.
“I’ll be back.” Oscar slid through the crowd to the bar.
Nyah slid behind the DJ table and tapped Trinket on the shoulder. Trinket had been so focused that she hadn’t even see her come in. “Hey, sis!” Trinket pulled her into her arms. “I’m glad you’re finally here.”
“Me too. You are doing so great. I love this,” Nyah said, referencing the “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer and Kaskade’s “Nobody Else” mix. “This is so sexy and silky and you have everybody grooving to it.”
Trinket nodded to the
beat and smiled. The air from the cracked window behind her cooled in gentle wisps to unsuccessfully tamp Trinket’s sizzling performance. Lots of people had talked about Queen Roe’s talent but they had no idea what they were missing with Trinket. She had more creativity in one of her long dreadlocks than most of the DJs at Rebel or on the scene had in their whole body. Nyah was so glad that Trinket had finally gotten to this point.
“It’s your time to shine, babe! Kill ’em with it!”
Trinket clapped her hands overhead and Nyah slid out from behind the table, giving Trinket the much-deserved spotlight.
Oscar found her and gave her a martini glass filled with cognac, lemon juice and Cointreau. “Tony hooked you up with that VSOP shit.” Oscar referred to the cognac in her drink.
“Nice. It does make a difference.” She took a sip and then gave him the thumbs up.
They watched Trinket for a bit and then when they finished their drinks got their dance on.
Bodies moved to Trinket’s groove and since she’d been playing for well over two hours, she looked comfortable and energetic as she connected with the crowd. Trinket delivered mixes that filled the room with what Nyah could only describe as both emotional and physical joy. At least that’s how the music wove its way through Nyah, puppeting one of her arms up into the air and pumping it to the beat. Her thighs burned as she bent her knees and shook her hips. Her orange and gold-layered spaghetti straps top clung to the perspiration rising on her skin.
Nyah pulled out her phone and captured Trinket on video so that Trinket could see just how awesome she moved the crowd. Nyah didn’t make a big deal of it. She didn’t want to let anything take Trinket out of her groove, and she wasn’t the only one who captured the magic that happened right in front of them.
“Enough of that,” Nyah muttered, and then she fully committed to jiving to the music and letting go. Trinket’s BPM sped up and the party, now in full swing, shook the place. Thank God Trinket lived on the bottom floor because even though she had an agreement with her neighbors, the building rocked.
Turning, spinning and enjoying the music, Nyah danced to song after song by herself and with those around her. A familiar fragrance wafted around her and she peered over the top of her glasses.
“Tommy?” Her body heat soared and perspiration pimpled everywhere. “I thought you were back in LA?” Her buoyant groove on the dance floor turned into a modest two-step.
“Oscar reminded me that Trinket had a house party tonight. So here I am?”
“Aww, shame.” Nyah’s shoulders slumped. “You missed the best part of her set.”
“I know. Apparently everyone I saw on the way out shared a similar sentiment.”
“I’m telling you. She’s really good. You should take everyone’s word for it and just sign her.”
Tommy danced to the music and she wished he’d stayed still because he only got sexier. “You know I can’t do that.”
“Why?” She put her hands on her hips. “Because you don’t trust my talent scouting skills?”
“No, because I’m a professional. I can’t blindly sign her, even if I trust the person recommending her.”
“So, you trust me now?” Nyah asked, strangely flattered.
“You haven’t given me any reason not to, yet.”
“Ditto, sir.”
Trinket and Oscar came up to them.
“Hi, Tommy.” Trinket, high on her performance, hugged him. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Oz texted me a reminder earlier to come through,” Tommy explained.
“Did you get a chance to hear her set, man?” Oscar asked.
“Unfortunately, my client performed tonight, as well, and I needed to stay longer than expected. I came in at the tail end.”
Trinket’s features fell and Nyah knew her friend’s disappointment ran deep. Trinket tried really hard to put herself out there despite her fear and the ridicule she’d experienced. On nights when they boozed out, Trinket would dream about playing big stages and having an agent, even though she’d heard Nyah’s horror stories. Trinket was so brave and Nyah wanted her to finally win.
“What I did hear sounded great, though,” Tommy politely encouraged Trinket but Nyah wished he could have been there to see her friend shine.
“I’ve been letting some songs play for the past half hour so I could mingle. You kind of missed the whole thing.” Trinket’s lips disappeared in her mouth.
“I’m sorry, Trinket. My schedule gets hectic. I’ll try to make one of your sessions while I’m in New York.” Tommy’s weak promise irritated Nyah.
“Yeah.” Trinket put on a hopeful mask.
“How do you do this with your neighbors? I’m surprised no one’s called the cops.”
“We’re a community here. Most of them were here at the party and I always let them know in advance. We agree on a turn down or end time, and we respect what we decide. It works. As gentrification continues it gets harder but for now we’re good.”
“Nice.” Oscar was giving his cousin the stink eye and Nyah shared Oscar’s sentiment.
“Well, we’re going to talk to some people before they bounce.” Trinket excused herself and Oscar followed.
“I guess they’re kind of disappointed.”
“Maybe a little.” If he’d played dumb to Trinket’s hurt feelings, he would have lost a little of her respect.
Tommy shifted in his stance. “I didn’t realize it was that important to either of them. I really thought Oz just invited me to hang.” His weariness about the whole thing softened his features.
“They’ll forgive you,” she offered and started to walk away. Tommy touched her arm. “Hey, can I talk to you for minute?”
“We normally help Trinket clean up her spot after the party. If you’re willing to help, then it would be nice and quicker, and we can chat,” she smiled.
“I’m in.”
“Cool. We can start with the trash.” Nyah winked at Oscar, who had been stifling a smile ever since she asked Tommy to help. Surely no one usually asked the super-agent to lift one of his stardust fingers to do manual labor. Rather, people likely plied Tommy with drinks, VIP, and free shit to get him to sign them so that he could make them famous.
That she wasn’t that thirsty gave her the upper hand, but she did need him for Artistique and that would at least cost her sole control—and what else, she wasn’t yet certain.
Tommy pulled the recycle bag from an open black trash bin. By the extra air leaving him as he lifted and the multiple clanking bottles, the bag must have weighed quite a few pounds. “This one’s done.”
Nyah peeled open a new recycle bag and handed it to him as she walked around and grabbed any stray cups, bottles or cans that never made it to the bin.
“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Nyah asked.
“I heard from Artistique.”
All her movements halted and she faced him. “You did? How come they didn’t contact me? What did you hear? Did I get in? I mean, they sounded hopeful. They just needed you to rep me. So what is it? What’d they say?”
He put a hand on her shoulder. “Take it easy.”
“This means a lot to me.” Her chest inflated and she huffed audibly.
“I know it does.” He sounded unaffected and maybe even amused by the avalanche of thoughts that made it past her lips. “Because I rep you now, they contact me with the decision. It’s standard.”
“Oh.” She waited and when he didn’t respond with the urgency she obviously felt the moment deserved she prompted, “What’s the verdict?”
“You’re in,” he said simply.
“I am?”
“Yes.”
She jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck and hugged him. Her lips mushed against his before she could stop herself or remember that they weren’t alone.
&nb
sp; “Um. I’m sorry, I don’t know why I did that and—”
“I...it’s okay.” He cleared his throat. “I would have loved to keep some suspense going but I wasn’t sure you could withstand a moment longer of not knowing.”
What am I doing? Besides their temporary professional relationship, Tommy lived in LA, had crazy ambition that would ultimately clash with her philosophy. Not to mention that he was too damn attractive and even though she might want to flirt with the idea of having a bone buddy, she was just too damn busy. Bonus, if she got accepted to the London program, she be a country away. It’s a wrap! “And that’s only half my list.” She shifted from foot to foot like she should leave or something.
“You have a list for me?” Tommy asked.
“Huh?”
“You said something about a list.”
“Oh. I think I was just...never mind.” She hadn’t realized the effect of being so close to him. On those nights when her Satisfyer Pro 2 vibrator had worked overtime between her legs, she pictured him there because it was safe and problem free. Damn her thoughts. Her scorching cheeks must have shown fire-engine red, because Tommy’s lids lowered as if she’d voiced her fantasy out loud. Luckily the place had cleared out and only she and Tommy were left with Trinket and Oscar, who were cleaning up.
Tommy licked his lips and she didn’t know if he did that because his lips were dry or because he wanted to taste her again the way she wanted to taste him. He couldn’t have read her that easily. She was failing at keeping him in his place as agent for hire.
Act your age, Queen. “Thank you.” She dared not touch her cheeks and draw more attention to the fact that being close to Tommy set her skin on fire. She pivoted and picked up a few lingering cups and bottles.
“You’re welcome.” He tended to his clean-up duties. “Which leads me to something else I wanted to propose to you. One of the gigs on the list of places that want you to play is Oh Ship. I thought it might be a good spot for you because it’s fairly contained and even though it exposes you to a new audience, I think the response can still stay manageable for you.”
Her temperature chilled. “Are you talking about the cruise ship?” She didn’t even need to add more commentary. Her question reeked of judgment. “We agreed that I didn’t want to play any large events.”
